Leave wildlife alone: P.E.I. biologist

Prince Edward Island fish and wildlife officials are reminding Islanders not to try to rescue young wildlife.

The province is getting calls from people who have "rescued" what appear to be orphaned or injured animals.

Wildlife biologist Randy Dibblee says Islanders should not rescue animals who appear to have been abandoned by their parents. ((CBC))

Randy Dibblee, a wildlife biologist with the provincial Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry, said the young animals' parents often just temporarily leave them.

"In some cases, these animals are temporarily left by their parents and in other cases they are strays or they have fallen from the nest or whatever. The best thing to do is to leave them alone," Dibblee said.

"And we don't have any wildlife rehabilitation facilities here in P.E.I., with the exception of the Atlantic Vet College. And, in their case, they handle primarily species of concern and raptorial birds — for instance, owls, hawks and eagles and this sort of thing."

Dibblee said P.E.I.'s wildlife policy prohibits people from keeping native wildlife in captivity.